Promotion of 5G Field Trials and Reflections— Path of 5GMF/5G Trial Promotion Group Activities—

Yukihiko Okumura

Leader / Senior Technology Architect
5G-TPG / R&D Strategy Department
5GMF / NTT DOCOMO, INC.

1. Introduction
The Fifth Generation Mobile Communications Promotion
Forum (5GMF) was established in September, 2014, to promote
implementation of 5th Generation mobile communications systems(5G). It proposed that system integrated verification trials of 5G
linking wireless communication, network applications and user
devices (UE), be conducted starting in FY2017, and establisheda task force and then a 5G trial promotion group to study specificcontent of such trials. This article discusses the path taken by thepromotion group in its activities, and reflects on promotion ofsystem trials on 5G.

2. Preparation for System Trials on 5G
In September, 2015, the 5GMF planning committee
established the System Integrated VerificationTrial Initial
Planning Task Force (called the “Initial Planning TF”) as a
subcommittee, to draft a plan for conducting system integrated
verification trials of 5G. Based on the results of hearings with5GMF members, the Initial Planning TF created a draft plan
enumerating trial items, details, equipment, and examples ofapplications and services that could be tested, for three categoriesof radio communication trials. These included a trial of highspeed and capacity of the low-SHF band (below 6 GHz)
communication, of high-speed and ultra-high-speed (ultra-lowlatency) high-SHF band (over 6 GHz) communication, and of
device-to-device communication with different types of wirelesssystems. Later, in January 2016, the 5G Trial Promotion Group(5G-TPG) was established within the 5GMF, to study a concrete
plan and framework for conducting system trials across the various
5GMF committees, for technology, networks and applications.
The 5G-TPG was composed of members elected from eachcommittee (from 28 5GMF ordinary members as of June 2016). In
the FY2016 preparation stage of the 5G-TPG activities scheduleat the time (Figure 1), the group promoted advance preparationand planning for conducting system integrated verification trials
based on results from the Initial Planning TF, and in the FY2017
and later execution stage, the reorganized group promoted
building the actual trial environments, selecting trial execution
members and trial equipment, and executing the trials.
In the actual preparation stage, the 5G-TPG solicited
proposals for concrete 5G utilization projects (suitable as trialthemes) from the constituent members. After organizing the■ Figure 1: 5G-TPG activity schedule

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proposed projects in terms of trial content, trial environments, trial
time-frames, related organizations and other factors, the results
were published in a report (5G Utilization Project Plan – EnglishEdition)[1] in September, 2017. The report mentions a wide rangeof use cases in a total of 35 5G utilization projects, which arecategorized into six fields such as Entertainment, Automobilerelated, Crime prevention, and Disaster prevention. It lists trial
environments associated with each use case, such as stadiums,shopping malls, theme parks, train stations, and airports; andgives specific locations with consideration for regional balance,
and a desire to build trial environments in all regions, and not justthe Tokyo area.

3. Execution stage for 5G Field Trials
The 5G-TPG later identified several projects desirable toexecute as the system integrated verification trials of 5G at thebeginning of FY2017, and began study with the goal of creatingconcrete execution plans and frameworks for each of the projects
by the end of 2016.

On the other hand, the Ministry of Internal Affairs andCommunications (MIC) had been promoting research anddevelopment on 5G radio communication technologies torealize ultra-high speed, high capacity, low latency and massive
connectivity since FY2015. The basic framework for conducting
the 5G Field Trials also incorporated this 5G research anddevelopment, and so called, “Technical Examination Service”
work by the MIC, on systems that combined new applications andservices envisioned for 5G, to identify any issues in implementing
5G systems and to perform studies necessary for creating thetechnical standards.
The trial items and content of these 5G Field Trials by the MIC
also referred to the 5G-TPG report (5G Utilization Project Plan)mentioned earlier and conducted trials anticipating 5G utilizationin various fields, while including study of the radio propagation
characteristics of the new frequency bands for 5G and evaluationof system performance. After the MIC established the new trialframework, the 5G-TPG has continued its activities since FY2017,actively supporting implementation of the 5G Field Trials.

■ Table: Domestic and international presentations and exhibits
DateTitle

Sponsor

TypeFormat

Oct. 2016

5th Generation Mobile Communication Systems (5G) Workshop 2016 @CEATEC2016“5G System Trials for Realizing 5G Systems”

MIC, 5GMF

Domestic
event

Presentation(5G-TPG Subleader)Oct. 2016

5G Technology Workshop“5G Key Concept and System Trial in Japan”

TAICSInternational
event

Presentation(5G-TPG Subleader)May 2017

The 3rd Global 5G Event in Tokyo, Japan
Session 3: “Overview of 5G System Trial
Concept & Plan in Japan”

5GMFInternational
event

Presentation(5G-TPG Leader)Oct. 2017

5th Generation Mobile Communication Systems(5G) Workshop 2017 @CEATEC2017“Activity Status of 5G Trial Promotion Group in 5GMF”/“Overview of 5G
System Trials Project Execution”

MIC, 5GMF

Domestic
event

Presentation(5G-TPG Leader/Test Groups)

Nov. 2017

The 4th Global 5G Event in Seoul, Korea“Recent Activities on 5G System Trials in 5GMF”

5G ForumInternational
event

Presentation(5G-TPG Leader)

IEICE
APMC Japan
Committee

Domestic
conference

Presentation/Exhibit(Test groups)

Nov. 201730

MWE2017 Microwave Workshop/Microwave Exhibition“5th Generation Mobile Communication Systems System Trials for Realizing 5G”

Mar. 2018

5G International Symposium 2018
Part 1: What can we do with 5G? — Results from the 5G System Trials —MIC, 5GMF, ARIB

Domestic
event

Presentation/Exhibit(Test Groups)

Mar. 20182018 General Conference BP-1
“System Trials for Realizing 5G and Future Expectations”

IEICE

Domestic
conference

Presentation(Test Groups)

May 2018

The 5th Global 5G Event in Austin, USA“5G System Trials in Japan -Activities of 5G Trial Promotion Group (5G-TPG)
in 5GMF-”

5G Americas

Internationalevent

Presentation(5G-TPG Leader)Nov. 2018

APMC2018 Workshop“5G System Trials in Japan”

IEICEInternationalmeetingPresentation(5G-TPG Leader)Nov. 2018

The 6th Global 5G Event in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Panel 7: “5G System Trials in Japan”

5G BrazilInternationalevent

Presentation(5G-TPG Leader)Nov. 2018

MWE2018 Microwave Workshop/Microwave Exhibition“5th Generation Mobile Communication Systems System Trials for Realizing 5GII”

IEICE
APMC Japan
Committee

Domestic
conference

Presentation/Exhibit(Test Groups)

Jan. 2019

5G International Symposium 2019
Part 2: 5G System Trial Results Presentation

MIC, 5GMF, ARIB

Domestic
event

Presentation/Exhibit(Test Groups)

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DateTitle

Sponsor

TypeFormat

Mar. 20192019 General Conference BI-4“[5G Day] Part II, 5G System Trial Results and Development for the Future”

IEICE

Domestic
conference

Presentation(Test Groups)

June 2019

The 7th Global 5G Event in Valencia, Spain
Session 2: “5G System Trials in Japan”

5G-IAInternational
event

Presentation(5G-TPG Leader)Aug. 20192019 Next-Generation Mobile Communication Technology and Application
Workshop “R&D Activities and Field Trials toward 5G Actualization in Japan”

FuTURE Forum

International
meeting

Presentation(5G-TPG Leader)Sept. 2019

IEEE VTC2019-Fall WS-TPoC5GE2019“Outcomes of Korea - Japan Joint
5G Collaboration -5G Field Trials in Japan-”IEEE VTSInternational
meetingPresentation(5G-TPG Leader)Oct. 2019

5G International Seminar 2019 @CEATEC2019“5G System Trials in Japan”

MIC, 5GMF, ARIB

Domestic
event

Presentation(5G-TPG Leader)Nov. 2019

MWE2019 Microwave Workshop/Microwave Exhibition“5th Generation Mobile Communication Systems System Trials for Realizing 5GIII”

IEICE
APMC Japan
Committee

Domestic
conference

Presentation/Exhibit(Test Groups)

Dec. 2019

Shimane Prefecture 5G Utilization Workshop“5G Overview and Use Cases – Overview of 5G System Trials–”

Shimane Prefecture

Domestic
event

Presentation(5GMF Office)Jan.-Feb. 2020

IoT/ICT Implementation SeminarMIC Bureau of
Telecommunications
at 11 locations
throughout Japan

Domestic
event

Presentation(5GMF Office)Feb. 2020

5G International Symposium 2020
Part 1: 5G System Trial Results

MIC, 5GMF, ARIB

Domestic
event

Presentation/Exhibit(Test Groups)

Mar. 2020

2020 General Conference TK-5
“5G System Trial Results and Future Expectations”

IEICE

Domestic
conference

Presentation(Test Groups)

Jun. 2020

CSA Japan Summit 2020
“Trends in Testing New 5G Services in Japan —MIC 5G System Trial Results forStarting 5G Commercial Services—”

CSA Japan

Domesticevent

Presentation(5G-TPG Leader)

July 2020

Yamaguchi Prefecture 5G Research Conference and Lectures“5G/Local 5G Utilization— 5G System Trial Results (3 years) —”Yamaguchi
Prefecture

Domestic
event

Lecture(5GMF Office)Oct. 2020

CEATEC 2020 ONLINE “5G Special Day II/ 5G Workshop”
Session 1 “5G System Trials Review”

ARIB, 5GMF, CIAJ

Domesticevent

Presentation(5G-TPG Leader)■ Figure 2: Global 5G Event

whether urban or rural, indoor or outdoor; and testing was doneusing the new frequency bands introduced for 5G (3.7/4.5/28
GHz), through collaboration among partners from a wide rangeof industries, application fields and participants involved in themobile communications industry. Articles from each of the trial
groups are included in this special feature, introducing specificthemes tested in FY2019 and results from those trials.

4. Support for performing 5G Field Trials

The 5G Field Trials begun in FY2017 are introduced in
the MIC articles in this Special Feature, and were conducted
for three years until FY2019, with participation from people invarious utilization fields, to help create new markets throughimplementation of 5G. Each year, six trial groups conductedtrials throughout Japan specializing on their respective themes.
Technical objectives for ultra-high speed, high-capacity, lowlatency and massive connectivity were set for different areas;

The latest trial conditions being implemented by each trial
group (trial plans, results) are being reported quickly at domestic
and international conferences and other events as shown in theTable. The 5G-TPG has been supporting each trial group with
their presentations and exhibits as well as coordinating andsummarizing each group’s results. The goal of these activities isto inform people from a wide range of industries and businesses,
not limited to telecommunications, of the details of the trials
and to provide an opportunity to feedback their comments andopinions to the trial members, so this appeal is also being spreadwith articles in academic journals[2]. At the Global 5G Events(Figure 2), held twice yearly by 5G promotion organizations invarious countries and regions, the 5G-TPG introduces the latest

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■ Figure 3: 5
 G-TPG reports (booklets)trial results from each trial group, spreading the development
and testing of 5G use cases in Japan across various regions, andpromoting the use of 5G to find solutions to various societal issues
faced, not only by Japan, but by countries around the world.
The 5G-TPG also creates the 5G-TPG Report (Figure 3),
which can be considered its annual report, and distributes it as abooklet at the Global 5G Event. The first and second editionsof this report are also published on the 5GMF web site[3]. The“General Report on 5G System Trials in Japan from 2017 to2020,” can be considered the third edition and is currently inprogress. It includes results from trials conducted in FY2017 andFY2018 as well as the FY2019 Trials introduced in this special
feature, and will be published on the 5GMF web site before theend of 2020, after the booklet is completed and arrangements aremade.

5. Conclusion
Commercial 5G services were started by operators in Japan
towards the end of March, 2020, but several operators outsideof Japan announced that they had started the world’s firstcommercial 5G services about one year earlier. This has led tosuggestions that Japan is lagging the rest of the world in 5G, buta new generation of mobile communication system has evolved
about every decade in the past. We expect that 5G will also spreadand use of services will continue to expand in the next decade, andwe are confident that the system integrated verification trials of5G, discussed and implemented by the 5GMF and 5G-TPG overthe five years from 2015 until commercial services began, will be adriving force behind this expansion.
Acknowledgements
We would like to take this opportunity to express deep
gratitude to those at MIC, the 5GMF general meeting andadvisory council and other committees for their guidance in32

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5G-TPG activities, and to everyone at 5G-TPG, the 5G Field
Trial groups and the 5GMF office for their collaboration in theseefforts.
References[1] 5GMF, “5G System Integrated Verification Trial Report—5G Utilization Project Plan—Ver. 1.0
English Edition,” https://5gmf.jp/whitepaper/5g-tpg-report-1-0/, Sept. 2017.
[2] Y. Okumura, M. Minowa, S. Suyama, “5G System Trials by All Japan,” IEICE Journal, Vol.
101, No. 11, pp.1058-1065, Nov. 2018.
[3] 5GMF, “The First Report on 5G System Trials in Japan 2018 Rev.1,” “The Second Report on
5G System Trials in Japan 2019,” https://5gmf.jp/whitepaper/, Apr. 2018/June 2019.

Cover Art

Eight Views in the Environs of Edo
Clearing Weather at Shibaura
Utagawa Hiroshige (1797~1858)
Collection of the Art Research Center (ARC)
Ritsumeikan University
Object number: BN03828992-1-04